| |
Top horses news stories... |
|
| |
THE MOTHER MARE 160,000 YEARS AGO
February 01, 2012 @ 11:02:31 PM EST
Every horse in the world can be traced to a single mare that trotted the earth about 130,000 to 160,000 years ago, scientists discovered for the first time.
The research identified 18 different genetic clusters that arose from the ancestral mare, suggesting that domestication occurred in many places across Europe and Asia, according to work published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study helps pinpoint the time when humans began domesticating horses, though it was known to be after dogs, sheep, pigs and cattle. The research may also help scientists classify horse fossils, figure out the pedigree of modern breeds and perhaps evaluate how genetics affect racehorse performance, said Samantha Brooks, an assistant professor of equine genetics at Cornell University, in a telephone interview.
“When you think about animals that shaped human history, the horse is No. 1,” said Brooks, who wasn’t involved in the study. “Domesticated animals define what it is to be a human. Without that, it’s unlikely we’d have the culture and technology we have today.”
Horses and chariots were used as weapons until the 20th century, when machine guns, tanks and airplanes were developed. They were used to clear forests, plow land and herd cattle. Until the 1800s, the fastest way to travel over land was on horseback.
Mother Genes
The study, led by Alessandro Achilli, a researcher in the department of cellular and environmental biology at the Universita di Perugia in Italy, analyzed mitochondrial DNA, which contains genes that are essential for the cell’s energy functions. These genes are inherited solely from the mother.
Horses lived throughout Europe and Asia during the Paleolithic period, although many lineages probably didn’t survive the peak of the last glacial period, from 26,500 to 20,000 years ago and another later period that covered Europe in ice. There were probably horse refuges in the Ukraine, Turkestan and the Iberian Peninsula, because those places were less cold.
The 18 genetic clusters suggest that horses were domesticated multiple times, in different places. At least one horse domestication happened in Western Europe, possibly in the Iberian Peninsula, the authors wrote.
The study was conducted using 83 genomes from horses across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
|
|
| |
SAVE A HORSE
January 06, 2012 @ 3:39:43 PM EST
The Rescue Horse
I might not be perfect as I've been around the block,
I hope this won't push you away or come as a shock
because I promise to always be there, strong as a rock
and to wipe your tears around the clock.
I might not be pretty or shiny and strong,
like those other horses who have seen no wrong,
but I promise to give and give all day long
until you realize that with you I belong.
I might be a rescue and from that you may shy
but how can you say no and just drive on by?
It isn't my fault my past owner was a bad guy
so please give me a chance and come on by.
I might not be papered, but how can that matter
I promise to carry you and be there to flatter
and above all I promise to always listen to your chatter
and to pay attention regardless of the subject matter.
I might not be easy, but I will always be patient and kind
and will be there for you after a long day to help you unwind.
If you give me a chance and bring me peace of mind,
I can say for sure, I will never leave you behind.
Please consider one of us for your next family member
Regardless of whether it is Summer or the middle of November
Or even if it is nearing Christmas in December
I promise to be there for you, always remember
|
|
| |
WILD HORSES FREE AGAIN
December 26, 2011 @ 10:04:14 PM EST
Captured wild horses get fresh taste of freedom
December 27, 2011
Wild horse supporters have joined forces to ensure eight mustangs impounded by Nevada's Division of Agriculture have regained their freedom.
The eight horses are released onto a private range in Nevada.
The horses were gathered by agriculture officials in the Mound House area because of public safety concerns over their proximity to the main highway, US 50, which runs through the area.
The horses had been hanging around the area because local residents and business owners had been providing food and water, which is against state law for wild horses.
On December 6, a sale of the animals was held in the parking lot in the Stewart Prison Complex parking lot in Carson City, where the only buyers to show up were the wild horse advocates intent on providing the animals with freedom.
The advocates had collected $US850 to pay authorities to cover the state's costs and the horses were theirs.
Let 'Em Run Foundation agreed to be the buyer of record for the entire group of horses. Least Resistance Training Concepts handled the logistics, including transportation. Other allied groups including Nevada B Mustang Sanctuary and Santa Barbara based Wild Horses in Need also participated behind the scenes.
The horses were taken to a large private range in northern Nevada, where they were released to live out their days with other wild horses.
Had the animals not gone to the private sanctuary, they would have met an uncertain fate within days at a livestock sale.
Wild horses in the news
|
|
| |
ASPCA WORKING HARD TO STOP SLAUGHTERING
December 07, 2011 @ 9:58:35 PM EST
NEW YORK, (ASPCA) — Following the passage of the 2012 Agricultural Appropriations bill, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is urging support of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR 2966/S 1176), which would stop the inhumane killing of American horses for human consumption by banning it in the U.S. and prohibiting the transport of horses across U.S. borders for slaughter in other countries. The passage of this critical legislation would end the current export and slaughter of approximately 100,000 American horses each year.
Since 2005, the appropriations bill has included language that prevents money from being used for USDA inspections at horse slaughterhouses. This year, Congress lifted the ban on funding horse meat inspections, thus allowing tax dollars to be used for inspections at slaughterhouses.
“Using tax dollars to fund this grisly business is a wildly unpopular decision and has fueled the fire for a complete ban on horse slaughter,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations. “We stand with the large group of bipartisan leaders on Capitol Hill who have already declared that they will be pressing for accountability and recorded votes on this issue. We applaud Representatives Jim Moran (D-Va.), Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) who are eager to bring an end to the cruelties of horse slaughter.”
While the language in the appropriations bill protected American communities from the horrors of horse slaughter plants, it did not prevent horses from going to slaughter because thousands of horses are purchased at auctions and then sent over U.S. borders for this purpose every year. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would not only ban horse slaughter in the U.S., but would also ban the export of horses to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.
“The majority of Americans are opposed to horse slaughter, and there is no domestic demand for horsemeat,” said Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La. “Considering that the cost of humane euthanasia for a horse is equal to the cost of approximately one month’s care, it is inconceivable to me that a horse owner could not afford to put down a sick, injured or unwanted animal humanely. This fight is long from over. I plan to continue to working with my colleagues in Congress and other advocates to end this inhumane and controversial practice once and for all.”
Horse slaughter is inherently inhumane and the methods used to kill horses rarely result in quick, painless deaths, as they often endure repeated stuns or blows and sometimes remain conscious during their slaughter and dismemberment. “Furthermore, if horse slaughter inspections resume, American taxpayers will have to shell out $5 million a year for a product no Americans want,” added Perry.
The passage of this the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is a priority for the ASPCA and several other animal welfare organizations, veterinarians and equine groups. The ASPCA has an extensive history of equine protection around the country and continues to assist domestic and wild horses through legislation, advocacy, targeted grants and enforcement of the carriage horse and cruelty laws in New York City. Animal advocates should contact their federal legislators to press for passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act by visiting www.aspca.org/AHSPA.
|
|
| |
SHAME ON YOU MR PRESIDENT!!!!!
November 26, 2011 @ 11:41:18 AM EST
Last week while you weren't looking Congress and the president did something the vast majority of Americans oppose. The president signed an omnibus-spending bill approved by Congress that makes it legal to slaughter horses in the United States once again. Polls show more than 70 percent of Americans oppose horse slaughter and few if any eat horse meat. Given the fact we are divided politically by a gap the size of the Grand Canyon, recognize that a 70 percent majority is an unheard of amount of backing.
But wait, it gets worse. The reintroduction of horse slaughter plants in the United States comes with a hefty price tag, much of which goes to line the pockets of people in other countries who own these dens of incalculable abuse. The way it works is that ever since 2005, there has been a section of the Agriculture appropriations bill that de-funds (to wit, bars the expenditure of taxpayers' dollars on) a program for the USDA to inspect foreign-owned horse plants. Now that the de-funding law has been deleted, supporters of the grisly, completely inhumane process of horse slaughter will go back to lobbying Congress for millions of dollars annually to run the inspection program. Without inspection, it is illegal to transport horsemeat across state lines. Once they succeed, horse slaughter will resume here.
Read more of this post
thepersianhorse | November 25, 2011 at 5:51 AM | Categories: ALERTS | URL: http://wp.me/p14D2r-vL
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Riding Stable - Horse Gifts and Supplies |
|
| |
We stumbled across a really great Horse Site - Riding Stable. The site is organized by broad based topics allowing you to easily find horse and riding product to suit your needs. For example the section on Saddles categorizes the following saddles separately: All Purpose Saddles, Jumping Saddles, Dressage Saddles, Eventing Saddles, Western Saddles and Other Saddles. There is even a section on Horse Gifts and and Gift Sets for Horseback Riders.
The site also contains a series of articles that contain educational material for riders and horsemen. This resource is fantastic!
|
|
| |
Really Great New Horse Resource |
|
| |
Horse Stall is a really great new horse resource for equestrians. The website is a niche horse resource with information for equestrians , with separate section for tack, boarding stables ( stables ) and the various riding disciplines from polo to horse jumping . The site is incredibly easy to navigate and contains screen shots of most pages indexed.
My favorite part of the site is a directory of horse breeds!
|
|
| |
Equine Cushings Disease |
|
| |
Equine Cushings disease is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the production and regulation of hormones. Symptoms include a long, shaggy coat that does not shed, excessive drinking and urination, laminitis, a tendency for recurring infections in the hoof (foot abscesses), and a loss of muscle mass, especially along the topline and rump. |
|
| |
Tale of Two Laddies |
|
| |
Bob McLardie has worked for over thirty years with countless horses and their owners to repair relationships, calm fears, nuture and protect and above all else bring owners to a new understanding of their horses. |
|
| |
Learn the Secret of Low Cost Advertising for Your Horse Business |
|
| |
As a ezine publisher I have discovered several methods |
|
| |
|
|
|
